Means for joining photographic films.



H. R. EVANS. MEANS F08 .IOlNlNG PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS..

APPLlcAnor'iLen :uns 24. 1915.

Patented Mar. 19, Hi8.

3 MEETS-SHEET l.

H.-R. EVANS.

MEANS FORJOINING PHOOGRAPHIC FILMS.

APPLICATIO'N FILED JUNE 24. 1915.

Patented Mar.19,1918.

SHEET 2.

3 SHEETS H. R. EVANS.

MEANS FOR JOINING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1915.

Patented a1'. 19, 193.8.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ITU/@m7 UNITE HENRY RIEG-EL EVANS,

0F LONDON, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR JOINING PHOTOGRAPHIC FlLMS.

h Specification of Letters -Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, i918.

Application led .Tune 24, 1915. Serial N o. 36,155.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l; H-nxny RIEGEL EVANS, a. citizen of the United States of America, a resident of Clarence Gate Gardens, Regents Park, London, N. \V.. England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Joining Photographic Films, of which the Vfollowing is a specification.

photographic films and in matograph films.

A film-splicing machine according to this invention comprises as itsprincipal characteristics the. combination of film-supports, a.

particular cinelamp apart from them. and mechanism to the machine of the joint commenced in the? preceding cycle. thus saving time 'as ,compared with that occupied m'machines in which the periods of successive cycles, each of a complete cutting and overlaying or abutting of the film-ends` cannot have .their durationsoverlapped. The relatively movable parts actuated in the course of the said juxtaposing operation can conveniently be caused. according to the present invention,

to actuate the emulsion-removing 'and ad-' hesive-applying devices,v preferably simultaneously.

In order to insure accurate and rapid work a pin registering-device is employed to hold the two film-ends in a predetermined overlapping lpositionwith a clamp which presses and holds the overlapped portions together and means automatically to disengage the registering-pins from the film after the clamp has been applied. Trimmers may be employed 'to cooperate with` the pin-registering device and to trim the ends of the film to a predetermined length from the reg@ istering-pins 'and therewith means to bring thel pin-registering devices together in such a waythat the film-ends overlap bya predetermined amount.

In addition to they emulsion-remover,

This invention relates to means for joining means for applying adhesive are preferably provided, so that adhesive is applied to one end of the lm, while on the registeringpins prior to the two ends being clamped together; preferably one end has emulsion removed and the other end receives adhesive.

Other features of novelty in this invention. will hereinafter appear and are pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings one construction of machine is shown and is hereinafter described; in the drawings p Figure l is a plan of the complete machine; f

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 an end elevation in .part section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views to a larger scale `than Figs. l and B of portions of Figs. 1, 3

and 2 respectively; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the. adhesive-applier;

Upon a base A are provided guideways B, two in. number, on each of which moves a film-carrier C, and centrally on the base is a pivoted clamping arm D. The two carriers are mounted upon an under-carriage E which passes beneath the base A and so insures that the two carriers move together in a direction. lengthwise of the machine; the

' under carriage is guided upon two guide rods El. Each carrieris so mounted upon the under-carriage`as to be capable of slid- `ing laterally of the machine to give, as between the two carriers, a movement of approach and withdrawal from one another. Upon the undercarriage is a rack F which gears with a, wheel F1 which is the first member of a train F1, F2, F3', F4, F5 to give la. multiplying motion and'rapid revolution of the spindleF upon' which the last member ofthe trainis mounted; on this spindle is also mounted a scratch-brush Grv and upon an extension of the spindle which carries the wheels F?, F4 is an adhesive-applying wheel H; the wheels G and H are hereinafter more particularly .referred to.

The two carriers C are similar to one another with one small exception hereinafter to be referred to and reference is now made to the left-hand carrier, that is to say, the one seen in elevation in Fig: 3.. A handle J is pivoted to the. carrier about a vertical axis and a spring controlled clamp K is also pivoted to the carrier about a horizontal axis. In front of the carrier is a. pair of member; the extension is Secured to the base by screws passing through holes, not seen in the drawing, which are elongated to permit of slight adjustment toward and away from the carrier. v

Each handle J has an extension J1 (see Fig. l) Vextending forwardly beneath the carrier and provided with a hard steel block J2 removably secured to it to permit. of renewal in case of wear or breakage.. The extension J1 engages by means of a curved slot with a pin J3 which limits the pivotal movement of the handle about its pivot. A plate-spring Kl bears upon a heel K2 on the clamp .K and serves to hold it both in the applied and in the released position as may be required. The shear L is normally held in the raised positioni by a plate-spring L1 but the handle J is provided with a projection to engage with a heel LB of the shear so that by ipivotal movement about. its center. the handle J causes the shear L to descend by movement about its own pivot. L2: the same l movement of thehandle throws the projection J2 ina direction toward theother carrier and into a position to clear a rail B2 on the guideway; each guideway B comprises a channel B1 consfituting a cani groove anda raised rail B2 whose general outline conforms closely with that of the cam groove; it is with this raised rail B2 that the block J2 engages until cleared by rotation of the handle J about its pivot. j

llaeh carrier has a raised edge C* to serve as a guide to insure. proper aliiieineiit of the two film-ends. Moreover in each carrier C are two pins M to'constitute a registering device which shall cooperate with .the perforations in the edgesof the film thus insuring register. The pins are inovably mounted and automaticallyraised and lowered` the details of this part of the .construction being more fully referred to hereinafter.

The arni D- is pivoted at D1 and is held down by a spring D2 in compression so that a presser foot D3 on the free extremity of the arm tends constantly to press upon a block D4. Upon the arm is a nose piece D5 and a table D, both hereinafter more particularly referred to.

Broadly the operation of the machine is as follows The two ends of the film to be joined together are laid, oneV upon one and the other upon the other of the carriers C in such a position that' when'the pins M engage withV perforations in the film-ends, the portions which project over the opposed faces of.

the carriers are suitably placed for being trimmed and joined in correct register'. The machine is conveniently so constructed that the spacing of the carriers is equal'to the length of one picture since it provides for quick andaccurate excision of a damaged picture and rejoining of the film. The operator then, lowers the clamp K on to the film and presses upon the handles J--J in a direction to thrust the carriers C-C toward the other end of the machine. `The pressure on the handles J cannot shift the carriers until the blocks J2 have cleared the ends of the rails B2; this occurs as the handles yield to the pressure and rotate vabout their pivots; this latter movement also brings down` the raised shears L thereby trimming both ends of the films correctly and automatically.l This shearing action is completed before the blocks J2 have moved clear of the rails and when these are cleared the two carriers can move in unison, under the pressure upon the handles. toward the other end of the machine. They move together owing to the connection afforded by the under-carriage. The engagement of the rack F upon the lat.- ter with the train 'of gearing causes rotation to be inipartedto the train of wheels F1 to F5 and thus to the scratch-brush G and adhesive-applier H. As the carriers pass these.`

one carrier causes its film-end to pass beneath the scratch-brush while the other causes its end to pass over the adhesive-ap` plier; thel film-ends have both been placed emulsion upward upon the carriers. The details of the scratch-brush and adhesive-applier are hereinafter described but after leaving them the two ends of film are dulyy prepared for being joined. The carriers in continuing their movement now approach one another by reason of the shape ofthe guideways. ,At` this point the difference above referred to between the two carriers comes into' operation. The right-hand carrier is pivoted at. C2 so that the free end is capable of a small upward movement; within the`guide rail for this carrier is a small cam B3 in the form of a block having two inclined faces. As the right-hand carrier approaches this block. it rides upon it by tilting about the pivot. C2 and so lifts the film-end which it carries above the other film-end. The'other carrier engages with -the nose-piece D5 and lifts the presser-foot already be a film joint in position under the new ends to be joined.

The operatorl lnow reverses the. pressure vupon the handles to return the lcarriers to their formerjposition. f `this' reversal ofEI'QSSure is to lower the pins e clamp's'K K land so re- .lefe thelmvenabling the Carriers to be re- The first effect of Mand .to 1lift t turned while leaving the film end under the clamp. These-operations occur automaticallyvby reasonof the following constructions. jfj1:y f .j v-

Each pin='is*c'ar'ried upon a thin. plate spring M1 (see Fig. 5) having a downturned forked end which engages with a screw M2 so that the latter is free to rotate but in its traversingmovement carries the springM1 with it. movement of rotation by a downwardly depending tommy hl3 which projects through a slot in the body of the carrier of sutlicient dimensions to give the required movement, .which is "ery small; the object ofth1s part of the construction is to provide for adjustment to allow for the small variations in pitch of the perforationswhich occur in practice. The slot through which each pin projects through the upper surface of its carrier is made slightly larger than the pin toiallow for this adjustment.- Within the body of each carrier is a block O impelled toward the face of the carrier by a spring O1 in compression. The pin J 3 seen in Fig. 4 is carried by the block O, as seen in Fig. 5. and projects through a slot O3 in the under side of thecarrier into a curved slot, already l referred to, in the extension -J 1 ofthe handle. At -its forward end .the block carries a T-headed -pin O2 whose head engages with* a flexible plate member O6 riveted at its rea-r end tothe plate Mi.' At its forward end'it carries a block M4 int-o which the pins M are driven and by it are held and supported. The pin O2 passes through a slot in the memler OG and the latter has an inclined portion at O5 corresponding with an inclined face on the front end of the block O. The object of thisarrangement is to raise and lower the pins M by aV positive action which occurs in the following way :,-the return movement of a handle J with its eX- tension J1 throws its pin J3 to the' other end of the slot O3 from that in which it is seen in Fig. 5, This shifts the block 0 and as the latter carries the pin O2 on to the inclined portion 05 of the liexible member O it presses the vlatter down so carrying the block M4 and pins M downward, thus withdrawing the latter from engagement with the film. On the return movement the front inclined face O4 of the block O strikes the under face of the incline O5 and forces the pins up so that the' latter are positively operated in'both directions. The connection between the plate M1 and the plate 0* en- The screw is given a ables the latter-to be adjusted in the manner described when the former is shifted by 4the screw M2. The reversal of pressure upon stage both the blocks J2 Will have cleared thev rails B2 and be thrown to the outery faces of .this latter. -OnV the return movement, therefore, the blocks J 2 return on those faces of the rails which are toward the grooves yB1 and the handles are therefore locked against return to the position shown in Fig. 4 until they have reached the starting end of the rails B2.

The lifting of the clamps K preparatory to the return movement is effected byen-` gagement of a portion of the handle with the heels K2 of the clamps; the clamps are thus lifted before the blocks J2 have cleared the rails. Y

The scratch-brush is provided with an operating table P pivoted at P1 and adjustable aboutthe pivot by a screw P2 to allow for wear of thev scratch-brush and to determine the amount of emulsion removed. The striking edge of the table is beveled as 'at P3 and is provided with a platel guard P4 between which and the table the film is received and guided.

The wheel H by which adhesive is applied revolves within a container Qhoused beneath a hinged cover Q1; the latter is hinged at Q5 ries a loose lid QG capable of sliding upon guide pins QT passing somewhat loosely -time the lid is a'close itupon the cover `so as etfectually to prevent evaporation. A scraper Q3 adjustable by a screw Q-is provided to determine the amount of adhesive carriedupon the wheel.

An advantage of this construction is that evaporation of the solvent is very effectively Achecked and yet by rotating the whole cover about the hinge Q5 the container can at once be inspected and if necessary either adjusted or removed bodily and a clean one substituted therefor. 1 The shears are normally spaced apart by about a -pictures length, three-quarters of 'to the body of the machine. The cover carthe actual pitch of the pictures being a convenient distance as it'allows an overlap of the shears towardI and away from the faces about of the picture. By slightly shifting of their respective carriers the amount of film left to overlap the other can be regulated. The slot left in the base plate between the faces of the carriers is as seen in Fig.

l to permit the trimmed ends to vfall clear of,

the apparatus into a receptacle placed beneath, if desired. The scratch-brush may be made with blade-like bristles of metallic ribbon or may Vbe replaced 'by a milling cutter.

The function of the table D6 is to serve as a support for thelm while the join is drying. Itis sometimes desirable to carry the body of the film from one side of the machine acrossto the otherand this is liable to give rise to strain of the join and throw the two pieces out of alinement with one another. If, however, the film is laid acrossv the table D6 the risk of such strain ordistor- "films, comprising film-end carriers, a jo1nt clamp, means for directing said carriers and 'clamp relatlve to each other, and means to move the carriers toward and from each other to place the ends'of the 'ilm under` theclamp.

2. An apparatus for joining photographic films, comprising film-end carriers, a joint clamp, means t'o move said carriers toward each other, means to removeemulsion from` one lm end, and meansto apply adhesive to another lm end.

3. `An apparatus for joining photographic iihns, comprising `film-end carriers, a joint clamp, means 'for directing* said carriers toward and from the clamp to'v place the film ends under the clamp, and means for holding the clamp closed on the film ends while the carriers'are moving away from andtoward the'vclamp.

4;. An apparatusV for joining photographic films, comprising film-end `carriers, a 'joint clamp, means whereby said carriers are dif rected toward the clamp to place the ends of.

I' the film under the clamp, and means for aul films, comprising vlat . tomatically shearing said lm endsr in movingvr the carriers.

5. An 4,apparatus for joining photographic- 'end` carriers, a joint clamp, means whereby said lcarriers areydi-v rected toward'the clamp to place the endS .Of the lm under the clamp, means for .auto- `inatically rshearingisaid lilmends in movin the carriers, andmean'sv `Vfor automatica ly applying an adhesive to one of the film ends as it is moved'toward Vthe clamp.

` 6. An vapparatus for joining 'photographic' films, comprising film-end carriers, a jointl clamp adapted to remain closed .on the film ends during relativemovement between 'said clamp and said filmA carriers, andimeans vfor eiectingsuch relative movement between v said film .carriers and said clamp as will bring the lm ends beneath the clamp.

7. An apparatus for joining photographic films,` l,comprising 'film-end' carriers, a joint clamp, Vmeans wherebyl saidA carriers. are

moved toward and from the clamp to place the llm ends under the clamp, andA a wire b rlsh for removing yemulsion from one lm en 8. An vapparatus for joining photographic films, lm-end carriers, a jolnt clamp, means whereby -said carriers are moved`.toward fand from the clamp to place the ends under the clamp, means for automatically removing emulsion from' one of the ilmfends whileV it is being'moved to the'clafmp, and means for automatically applyingan adhesive to one of said iilm ends while it is being kmoved to the'clamp.

9. An apparatus -for joining photographic films, comprising lm-end carriers, a joint `cla1n 'p', means whereby said carriers are moved toward and from the clamp to place the film ends under the clamp, a brush for removing emulsion from one film end while itis being moved to the clamp, and means for adjusting said brush with respect to the path of movement of the adjacent carrier.

f 4l0. An apparatus for joining photographic fil-ins, 'comprising film-end carriers, a joint clamp, means whereby sald carrlers are moved' toward and lfrom the clamp to place the film ends under the clamp,a chamber for an adhesive, in a' ath adjacent to which the carriers move, sai ,chamber having an opening thereto' along the pathof movement of one of the lm ends, a Vcover for said opening normally closing same `andadapted to bemved responsive tothe movement of said'ilm endto be coated, andmeans in said chamber for applying the adhesive, to said film end during yits said movement'.

" 11. An apparatus forjoiningphotographie films having perforatlonsy in the marglns thereof, comprising ilm-end carriers, means -for determining the location of the ilm ends on the carriers and maintaining the same while the films are securedto the carriers, a.l

joint clamp adaptedto clampthe .lm ends Awhilethe carriers are moveda'way `from and,

toward it, `andfm'eans whereby said carfiers are moved toward the clamp andinto .positionsto place the filxnends thereunder with the adjacent perforations of one/registering with -those ofthe other.

vso

12. An apparatus for joining photographic films, comprising a joint clamp, film-end carriers, a chamber for an adhesive having an opening, means for effecting relative movement between said chamber and said carriers tocause a film end to projectinto said chamber to have an adhesive applied thereto before the film is clamped, a cover for the chamber normally closing said opening and adapted to be moved responsive to said relative movement between said film-end carriers and the chamber, for permitting one of the film 'ends to extend into the chamber, and means in said chamber for applying an adhesive to said film-end.

13. apparatus for joining photographic lms, comprising a plurality of film-end carriers, means for securing the film ends to the carriers, a joint clamp, means to remove emulsion from one film end, means` to apply adhesive to the vother film end, and means to move said carriers and clamp relative to each other.

14. An apparatus for joining photographic films, comprising a support, a movable carriage mounted thereon, film-end carriers movably mounted von said carriage, a joint clamp, said carriage being arranged to be moved ltoward and from the joint clamp, means to secure the film ends to the carriers, and means to cause said carriers to move toward each other to bring the film ends under the clamp when the carriage is moved toward the clamp.

` l5. An apparatus for joining photographic films, comprising a support, a movable carriage mounted thereon, film-end carriers movably mountedon said carriage, a joint clamp, said carriage being arranged to be moved toward and from the joint clamp, means to secure the film ends to the carriers, means to cause said carriers to move toward each other to bring the film endsunder the clamp when the carriage is moved toward thev clamp, means on one of the carriersto open the clamp as they are moved toward it, and means-for automatically `closing said l clamp. l

16. An apparatus for joining photographic lilms,'comprising a support, a movable carriage mounted thereon2 film-end carriers movably mounted on said carriage, a joint clamp, said carriage being arranged to be mo'ved toward and from the joint clamp, means -to secure the film ends to the carriers, means to cause` said carriers to move toward; each other' to bringV the film .ends under the cla-mp When the carriage is moved toward the clamp, means on one of the carriers to open the clamp as they are moved .toward it, means for removing y emulsion from one lm end during the movement ofv the carriage toward the clamp, means for applying adhesive toone film end during' the movement of the carriage toward the clamp, and means for automatically closing said clamp.

17. An apparatus for joining photographic iiln1s,`comprising asupport, a carriage adapted to be moved over said support, a joint clamp, a film-end carrier on each side of' said clamp and connected to the carriage, said carriage and `film-end carriers being arranged to be moved lover the support tow/ard and from the clamp, positioning members on said carriers for positioning the ends of the films relative to each other, holding 4members on said film-end carriers for holding the ends of the films With relation to the positioning members, cams on said support, cam engaging devices on said Carriers, said cams and engaging devices being arranged to move the carriers toward each4 other when said carriage and carriers are moved toward the clamp, means for removing the emulsion from one side of one film end, means for applying an adhesive to one side of the other film end during the movement of the carriage and carriers toward the clamp, a spring for retaining the clamp in its closed position, and -means on one of the carriers for opening the clamp as the carriage and carriers are moved intrl position with relation to said clamp.

18. An apparatus for joining photographic films, comprising a joint clamp, film-end carriers arranged to be moved toward and from the clamp, means for securing the film ends to the carriers, means for opening the joint clamp, means f'or closing vthe joint clamp, and means` actuated by the movement of the carriers for releasing the film-ends.

19. An apparatus for joining photographic films, comprising a support, a carriage movable on said support, a joint clamp mounted on said support, 51m-end carriers movably mounted on said carriage, means on each of` said carriages for securing film `ends thereto, means for removing emulsion from one side of one film end, means for Iapplying an adhesive to one side of. the

other film end during the movement of the carriage and carriers toward -the clamp,

means for movin one of the film-end earriers relative to t e other to raise one film end into a plane above the other `film end, and means for moving said carriers toward each other to place one film end over ,the

other Within the yjoint clam .20. An apparatus for joining photographic films, comprising a support, a carriage movable on said support, a joint clamp mounted on said support, film-end carriers movably mounted onl said carriage, means on each-of said carriages `for securing film ends thereto, means for removing emulsion from-one side of one film end, means for applying an adhesive to. one side of the. other film and during the movement of the carriage and carriers toward the clamp,

' means for moving one of the nlm-end carriers relative to the other to raise one film end into a plane above the other film end, means for moving said carriers toivard each other to place one film end over the other within the joint clamp, means onl one of the film-end carriers for opening the clamp, and a spring for closing said clamp.

2l. A film-end carrier for an apparatus for joining photographic films, comprising means for positioning the film end, a clamp forsecuring said film on the carriage, a shear for cutting oii" the end of the film, and an operating handle connectedto said carrier arranged to actuate the shear whenk moved in one direction, and to open the clamp and Withdraw the positioning device when moved in the other` direction to'release the film.

22. An apparatusy for joining photographic 'films, comprising a support, a movable' carriage mounted thereon, guides on said support for said carriage, film-end carriers movably mounted on said carriage, al

joint clampon the support, cam connections between thefsupport and the film-end carriers for moving said carriers toward each other, Hlm-end clamps on each of said carriers, means onzsaid carriers for moving them-longitudinally relative to the support,

-means on one'of said carriers for opening the oint clamp as the iilm ends approach it, means to; close said joint clamp over the film ends placed therein by the carriers, and

means actuated by vthe carrier operating means for releasing the film ends from the carriers-after they have been placed in the Y clamp'.

24. An apparatus for joining photographic films, comprising a support, a carriage vmovably mounted thereon, hn-end carriers movably mounted on sa1d carriage,

a joint clamp, said carriage being arranged to be moved toward and from the joint clamp, means to secure the lm ends to the carriers, a shear on each carrier, means on the support for moving the carriers towardl and from each other on' the carriage, means on the carriers for actuating the shears and moving the carriers and 'carriage toward and from the joint clamp, a scratch brush for removing emulsion from one side of one lm end, means for applying adhesive to one 'side of the -other ihn end during the movement ofthe carriers toward the joint clamp,

gearing Vfor actuating said brush, and means on the carriage fory actuating said gearing.

' In testimony whereof I have slgned my name to this speciication in the presence of tvvo subscribing Witnesses.

, c HENRY RIEGEL EVANS.

Witnesses: i

HARRY S. WIDGE, HAROLD H. SIMMONS. 

